"But what," I said, "was Mr. Th.'s own notions of the being so alluded to in the Scriptures? What does he think is meant by it ?"

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"O," said Mr. Trotter," it means several things; it has a different sense in the Old Testament from what it has in the New, one sense in one place, another in another."

"I should like very much to hear some of these senses that Mr. Th. understood it in," said I.

Why," replied Mr. Trotter, "he said it means the Grave, or Death, or moral evil, or the influence of circumstances, or perhaps something else.

Well, then," said I," let us apply some of these senses to those passages of Scripture which are most frequently adduced in support of the notion that there is a Devil. Now we read in Job i. 6. that there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them. And we must understand it as meaning, that the Grave came also among them.” "No, Sir," said Mr. Trotter, " you forget I said there were many meanings for the Devil or Satan not always the grave, but sometime moral evil, or something of that kind."

"Very well," said I, "let us try moral evil. Now we read in St. Matthew's Gospel, in the 4th chapter and at the 6th verse, Then the Devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him upon a pinnacle of the temple.' And we are to understand by it that moral evil took our Lord up into the holy city, and actually placed him on a pinnacle of the temple."

Stop, Sir," interposed Mr. Trotter," you do not put your argument fairly, I told you before, that the Devil may mean very many and very different things in different places. I instanced as one out of many the influence of circumstances.'

"Oh, the influence of circumstances," said I, musing for a few m ments. "What, then, in St. Jude's epistle, where it is said that Michael the Archangel, contending with the Devil, disputed about the body of Moses; we are to read it, that Michael contending with the influence of circumstances disputed about the body of Moses ?"

"Indeed, Sir," rather gruffly observed Mr. Trotter, " I cannot undertake to reconcile so obscure and mystical a passage as you have quoted, with any rational scheme of Scripture interpretation."

Well," I replied mildly, however firmly established your own opinions on this point may be, I think you must admit that I have shown on my side, that there is sufficient warrant in Scripture to justify a man, possessed of common sense, in believing in the existence of the evil one, which was all I wished to prove to you."

Mr. Trotter's assent was only intimated by silence-and turning to my other fellow-travellers, I perceived the vulgar young man had, with praiseworthy perseverance, resumed his anti-agricultural studies. And as we were now approaching Stafford, Mr. Thatmoor gave sundry indications that he was about reaching the terminus of his journey. Cinnamon was chewed more incessantly. A carpet bag, that appeared to contain more papers than linen, was slowly produced from beneath

his seat, and a quarter of an Abernethy biscuit was carefully restored from the pocket of the carriage, to that of the great coat of its proprietor. Every thing combined to shew, that our enjoyment of Mr. Thatmoor's society was not destined to be of much longer duration. And as the train stopped at Stafford, sure enough Mr, Thatmoor left us, and was soon seen in such close conversation with another gentleman, as rendered his late lavish use of the Indian spice not a little acceptable to his friend.

As soon as we were again in motion, Mr. Trotter observed, that he was glad that none of the Bishops, advanced by the present government, had joined in the illiberal abuse of Socialism, that had so disgraced the late proceedings of the Legislature.

As this observation led to another discussion of some length, I will defer, till a future occasion, the account of what then passed between us. E. A.

COMMON SENSE.

I WILL not perplex you, my dear Reader, with attempting to define or explain, with philosophical exactness or logical precision, what is meant by Common Sense. Nevertheless, I must and will maintain, first, that few things are more prejudicial to us, with regard to our minds, than the use of words without distinct ideas, thoughts, or notions; and, therefore, secondly, that one of the best means to avoid error, and to arrive at truth, is so to consider words as to ascertain what ideas really belong to them. Language is a far more wonderful thing, a far more influential and powerful thing, than is commonly supposed. If I might venture to use such a phrase, I would say-there is an omnipotence in words. What a host of ideas, what a flood of feeling or emotion, what a train or course of actions, are most intimately connected with words! How closely is human happiness,-is all that is dear to man,-linked with language! This is little thought of in general. Men use words,pour forth a torrent of them-and account themselves clever because they can speak with fluency, or write with ease. They use words as spendthrifts do their money. They do not consider the weight, the value, the force, the design of language.

This abuse of language proceeds from the want of that consideration which I have recommended to you in a former paper. If you mean, my dear Reader, to profit by my papers, you must pause, ponder, think, consider, employ your mind, and employ it slowly. You must be a sober-minded Englishman. I tell you plainly at once, I neither like men who do not think at all, nor men who think rapidly, wildly, and superficially. If you think a man to be wise who can astonish those around him with a multitude of words, I must say that I am of a different opinion: for I think him truly wise who really understands, and rightly uses, a few words.

But let us turn to our subject, Common Sense. writer," hath endued mankind with powers and natural light and reason and Common Sense."

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God," says a great abilities which we call For Sense, aubstitute

Understanding; and keen Common Sense will mean soundness of understanding; strong natural reason; which is given to all men; and by which they can form, and ought to form, on slight reflection, without elaborate enquiry, just notions of what is right and wrong, proper and improper, beneficial and injurious, and so on. In a word, then, I look upon Common Sense as the plain and healthy reason which all men possess. Some men have a splendid fancy, some great intellectual acutene s, some a strong memory, some inventive genius; but all men have Common Sense; that is, all men (for the exceptions need not be taken into account, because they are so few) have that measure of sound and healthful intellect which enables them, unless it be their own fault, to think and speak and act as rational creatures. And this Common Sense is their best guide in all the ordinary affairs of human life. One of our poets speaks thus of it, in very just terms:

Good Sense, which only is the gift of Heaven,

And, though no science, fairly worth the Seven.

I would now observe, that you possess this talent, this treasure, this gift. It is lodged within you; it is, to speak so, a part of your mental make; according to the bounty of your Creator. You are ignorant of languages: you know nothing of history, science, and philosophy: you possess none of those mental energies which lead men to explore atoms and to grasp the universe. Be it so: and if such be your lot, there yet remains one thing which may lead you to happiness, excellence, and grandeur; and that one thing you possess--it is Common Sense. I wish you to reflect, and to see and feel that this is the case. This is a gift of unspeakable worth. I do not wish to hear you tell me what you are destitute of,—I wish you to see what you really have.

But I observe again, that comparatively few improve the natural faculty of Common Sense as they ought. If men used their Common Sense in a right manner, what would they do? I cannot answer this question at large: but this I say,--they would duly consider that they are God's creatures,―rational and immortal beings; they would not adopt opinions, measures, and practices without considering and ascertaining their truth, their nature, their fruits and results; they would not give themselves up to the guidance and government of passion, fancy, caprice, and fashion; they would not act in great things or in little things without a solid reason,—without an intelligent and prudent calculation.

I find great difficulty, my dear Reader, in attempting to communicate to you my mind, because I am confined to a short paper on a subject of wide extent of its nature and bearings: but I can give you some materials for your own consideration. I will only refer to three relations which you sustain ;—to your public, private, and sacred character.

With regard to what I call your public character, I look upon you as a member of civil society and you may be one of those who think themselves clever politicians. Perhaps you read newspapers and pamphlets, and talk largely and freely about public men and public measures. You can debate and declaim; project, reform, blame, rail, murmer, or

eulogize, until you have exhausted your strength. But in spite of all your sense or nonsense, the world goes on and will go on in its course; and your hours your unreturning hours, are passing away, and conducting you to an unchangeable eternity. But pause a moment: consult your Common Sense; and what, my dear Reader, does it say to you,or rather what does it compel you to say? "It were far better for me to leave politics alone. I can learn the slang of them, but I cannot understand them: I can heat myself and others with political fury: 1 can make myself unhappy, and others also. My proper business is to attend to other and to better things."

With regard to your private, domestic, or social character, the application of Common Sense to it is of boundless extent. I think of marriage, of prudence, of industry, of children, in short, of all that relates to the whole of your conduct in forming relations, in sustaining relations, in consulting the comfort and welfare of all who are dear to you,-and then I say, that if you do not uniformly consult Common Sense at every step, you act irrationally, and you make your life wretched. It is true, that human life, as such, abounds with change, trial, pain, and sorrow; and this you would find to be the case if your abode were a palace, and if you held the sceptre of a hundred realms. Paradise is lost,--though the good man knows a Paradise regained. But a very large portion of human misery is the direct result of human folly and perverseness. You may form your Utopias as you please; but they are idle fictions. Be a plain, prudent, practical man; a disciple of Common Sense.

With regard to your sacred character, which rests upon your relation to God as a rational, immortal, and accountable creature, I would maintain that Common Sense is of great importance. It gives you, if it be consulted, two oracles, and that it does unhesitatingly and imperatively. What is the first of them ? 66 Go to the Bible-search the Scriptures -seek religion there." What is the second of them? "Beware of abusing religion in any way--beware of all that is crude, superficial, disorderly, inefficient, inconsistent." If you attended to Common Sense, you would neither live without religion, nor would you take up with anything weak, extravagant, puerile, unmeaning, or absurd in religion.

I have already said, that comparatively few improve their sound, natural reason as they ought: and I think that you will be of the same opinion if you consider the conduct of men in general with regard to the relations in which they stand and the characters which they sustain, as I have now briefly stated them. I rail at, and inveigh against, none of my fellow-creatures: but I do most sincerely lament, that, in our restless day, a day of fervour, passion, giddiness, and agitation, they forget their make, their character, their relations, their true guides, their lawful rulers. They yield to passion, whim, caprice, vagary, and fancy they forget the noble and dignified powers with which man is endowed, intellect, reason, judgment, conscience, Common Sense. They are captivated with what is specious; they are delighted with noise and clamour; they are enchanted with subversion and innovation. Correct morals, prudence, diligence-these are forgotten: and where is Religion to be found.

But, my dear Reader, it is time for me to conclude my tame and prosing paper: but this I cannot do without entreating you to consider, seriously and impartially, the subject to which I have now directed your attention, A thousand voices will call upon you, and invite you to listen to them: but my admonition is simply this," follow none of them until you have honestly consulted the oracle within the breast." Conscience and reason and sound sense-attend to these but beware of your own fancy, passions, and desires; and beware also of those clamourous seducers who address the more corrupt and feeble part of your nature, and who would cause you to banish the thoughts and to stifle the convictions which you know, in all your calm and sober moments, that you ought to follow.

My instruction may appear to be dull, cold, and tame and you may think that I am a recluse, musing in his study, and reasoning as a sage who is a stranger to the living world. The fact, however, is, that I have seen many years in the world, and that I am almost daily associating with the poor. If you be now in years, I am sure that you will admit the justice of my remarks: and if my Reader be young, let me remind him, that the frosty days of wintry life will come; that fancy, passion, and ardour will then exist no more; and that if he now refuse truth, wisdom, reason, and sobriety, he will then shake his hoary head in shame and grief, and deplore his folly, Look forward now; anticipate results; and give to Common Sense that universal influence over you which it ought to exert and maintain.

REPTON,

THE MERCHANT'S CLERK.

CHAPTER THE NINTH.

"HERE is a note of invitation for us both," said Angus Murray, as I passed his desk one morning; "shall I answer it, and say, yes or no." The invitation was from Mr. Maxwell, and we accepted it. He had returned to his town house in Great Ormondstreet, for it was there he resided,-his counting-house only was in Old Broad-street. Our invitation was to dine with the Maxwells, at four o'clock on Saturday, and so remain with them till the Monday morning.

We were a large party of young men. Besides Angus and myself and the two sons of Mr. Maxwell, whom I had met in the summer, there was another son, who had just returned from college, and with him was Thomas Arnold, whom I have mentioned before, his college friend aud companion. The evening passed very pleasantly in the society of this excellent family. I did not feel much relish for the religion of those around me, but it was impossible not to be struck with the manly good sense for which their conversation was distinguished, and the enlarged views which